California ban on change therapy called discriminatory
March 21, 2014
The following excerpts are from the article “California accused of discriminating against Christians” on the World Net Daily website: “When California lawmakers passed a law preventing licensed therapists from discussing with their clients how to eliminate unwanted same-sex attractions, their intent was to discriminate against the Judeo-Christian belief that homosexuality is sinful, charges a new brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court.” …
“‘By omitting the APA Report’s qualified definition of ‘acceptance and support’ to include the patient’s ‘values, beliefs and needs,’ SB 1172 shows a legislative intent to prevent the patient’s values and beliefs from guiding the psycho-therapeutic treatment.’”
“‘It further reveals the legislature’s intent to impose its beliefs and values on patients whose beliefs and values differ,” the [Freedom X] brief argues. “Here, the legislature’s true reasons for attempting to prohibit SOCE speech stem from a political and social viewpoint that derogates Orthodox Judaism, conservative Christianity, and any other religious viewpoint that might consider homosexual behavior sinful.’”
“The law violates not only freedom of speech but the requirement that government be neutral between religions ‘and between religion and nonreligion,’ the brief says.” …
